Narozny U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,767, commonly assigned herewith, discloses a connector and connection scheme whereby a flat multiconductor cable may be mass-terminated for compatible connection at a pitch diverse from that of the cable pitch, i.e., the distance between centerlines of adjacent conductors. For flat cable in general commercial use, e.g., BLUE MACS.RTM. Flat Cable produced by T&B/Ansley Corporation, such pitch is 0.05 inch (1.27 mm). "D" type connectors, having contacts a 0.0545 inch (1.38 mm) pitch, are a particularly favored configuration for terminating flat cable.
In the '767 patent, pitch transition connector structure is shown wherein contacts are provided with one end portion adapted to pierce or displace flat cable insulation and engage a conductor, a second end portion opposite the first end portion and having pin or socket configuration and a bendable portion between the end portions. A plurality of such controls is disposed in a housing having first apertures for seating the contact first end portions at the flat cable pitch and second apertures for seating the contact second end portions at the D connector pitch. The bendable contact portions take on bending attitudes which accommodate such positioning of their end portions.
In present commercial practice, assembly of connectors implementing the connection scheme of the '767 patent involves the insertion of second end portions of contacts in a housing part (base) defining the second apertures above discussed and the conforming of the locations of the first end portions of contacts to that compatible with the flat cable pitch. A further housing part (insert), defining the first apertures above-discussed, is then secured to the base.
In such present practice, bending constraint, i.e., structure serving to conform attitudes of contact bendable portions to that desired, to avoid shorting of contacts and to permit correct pitch transition, is derived from base structure defining the second contact apertures, from insert structure defining the first aperture and from contact structure itself.